Hidden Love
by xox Steph xox
Summary: This is a Ray and Neela fan fic ... with bits of Carby and Samka. But is love ever straight forward ? Especially when Neela gets a life threatening illness. Pg for later language
1. You owe me 80

Hi this is my second ER fan fic that I have written,( I originally wrote a five part fic, which some of the story lines of that are explained (only in maybe a sentence) in this.) The Fan fic has a bit of everyone in it, but it is mainly focused on Ray and Neela issues and Carby issues. I'll update if I get reviews, so please review and tell me what you think! Thank you!

**Disclaimer: -** Don't own ER… Please don't sue … the characters and previous plots all belong to the creators of ER, not me.

Ray Barnett winced as he passed Neela, coming on to his shift. She blocked his path and glared straight at him.

"You still owe me 80," she reminded him, the "boss tone" coming through her voice.

Ray shuffled past her to get to the front desk.

"I know, and I'll pay it you as soon as possible, but im broke, and I just spent my money on a new amp, for the band you know …" the second that sentence came out of his mouth, he regretted it. Neela despised his band. She shook her head

"You know what Ray, that's fine, just next time the pipe bursts at home, I'll tell the plumber you'll pay him with a song shall I?" She handed in her forms wincing as a paper cut etched onto the side of her finger, and she was about to leave when she turned around and said to ray…

"Ray, I moved in with an agreement that we would never have to see each other, because of different shifts, and that I would pay half of the money for the apartment, HALF RAY! That means you pay the other 50 or in this case the other 80." She stormed off regretting the moment she ever said that she would move in with him.

Ray watched her as she stormed off, he couldn't stand her sometimes, ok, he owed her money, but he'd said he'd give it her back, didn't she trust him? Well I think everyone knew the answer to that. He grabbed a chart from Pratt and went to see to a patient.

Pratt watched Ray rush off to his patient and laughed slightly, him and Neela always seemed to be fighting, he could understand it though, as women went Neela was one of the toughest to get along with, as sweet as she was, her standards were impossibly high. He looked down at his chart and read the name of his next patient "Mrs. Delta" he scanned her previous medical history and found that she had breast cancer that was being treated. He sighed at the way the number of people with cancer was increasing. He pushed the door open.

"Mrs. Delta, hi im Dr Pratt and im here with your results to your blood test, well the results show that even though your cancer is …"

"Cancer?" Mrs. Delta asked with a bemused look "what cancer?"

Pratt looked down at the file and back at Mrs. Delta, unwilling to believe that he's just told this woman she ahs cancer in the worst way he could tell her.

Abby walked into the ER dreading this day. Last night John Carter, her ex boyfriend had admitted that he was still in love with her. She felt for John, his ex-girlfriend Kem was living in Africa and his relationship with his current girlfriend Wendell wasn't working out. But it didn't mean that she wanted to continue their old relationship. She didn't know how to feel about the fact that John had said he loved her, whilst going out with someone else. She had known him for years and knew that he wasn't deliberately cheating on his girlfriend. Carter had explained that he'd been doing serious thinking, and that he still loved her. But worst of all was that Abby was going out with Jake. A sweet, caring, handsome doctor. He was everything Abby had hoped for, then why was there this sinking feeling in her stomach.

Luka was on the phone by the front desk.

"Sam, I told you to meet me at the restaurant, yes … ok I'll see you later" Susan Lewis stood next to Luka.

"Are you ok?" she asked him reading his nervous expression.

"Im fine yeah, are you?" he asked her. He knew she was struggling. Kerry Weaver had left County 2 weeks ago, after realizing she wanted to spend more time with her son, she had resigned. Now the board wanted Susan to take her place. She wasn't having any of it, she was already too busy with the small promotion that she had.

"Im ok, I've got a meeting with the board, trying to plead my case" She sighed and rushed away. Luka nervously touched the package in his trousers pocket and took a deep breath before grabbing another chart.

That's chapter one, Im sorry it's only short, I was just setting the scene and explaining where-abouts each character is so you'll know for future chapters. The next chapter's almost finished, so please review and tell me what you think of it and if you think I should update. The more you review, the quicker I'll update! So please review! Thank you!


	2. Are you ok? your shaking?

Neela pushed the doors of the ER open and stepped onto the street. She was glad to be leaving for the day, she was so sick of Ray. His whole attitude pissed her off badly. She didn't get why he was so … annoying! She brushed past the crowd on the street and her almost jumped out of her skin when something grabbed on to her ankle.

Abby felt the warmth of Jake's arms around her and she snuggled into him

"Good morning" he whispered. Abby turned around to kiss him bout over her shoulder she saw Carter arrive and the moment was gone. Jake laughed

"No kiss? I take it that it isn't a good morning then?" Abby untangled herself from Jake and walked over to the front desk

"It's a complicated morning, I'll meet you for lunch ok?" Abby cringed at the slight hurt that shone from his eyes as he nodded and went to see to his patient. Abby felts so horrible hurting him, but she wasn't sure what she was going to do.

Pratt found Dr Lewis and he stopped her in the corridor.

"I have a patient, who, on her chart, says she ahs begun treatment for cancer, but when I mentioned it, she says she doesn't know of any cancer"

Susan grabbed the chart and shook her head  
"That's impossible". Pratt laughed

"Read it and weep, but what do I do?"

Susan looked up at him

Neela turned round to look at what had grabbed her leg, an old man with a bloody hand was clinging to her leg. Her first intention was to run, but looking closer she knew this guy needed her help.  
"Can I help you?" she asked kneeling so she could make eye contact. 

"Please, are … are you a doctor… I saw you come out of there, I need your help I…"

Neela wrapped her arm around the mans neck to help him up and began to help him walk towards the ER.

Luka shuffled down the ER and walked into the staff room. He poured two cups of coffee and downed the both. Screw the caffeine, this was to calm his nerves. He still had 2 hours left on his shift and he was about to burst. Just then Abby walked in grabbed something out of her locker.

"You ok? " she asked him "Your shaking!"

Luka nodded

"Im fine really" he walked out leaving Abby alone with her thoughts again.

Neela pulled the man through the doors. Ray rushed over to see him

"What in the name of…"

"I found him on the street, he couldn't stop the bleeding, come on ray help em"

Ray eased his arm around the neck of the man, copying Neela's actions and carried him into a room. As Ray laid his hand on Neela's arm, Neela felt a shock slide through her, not an electric shock, but … she didn't know, it was just a feeling that made her tingle. Neela wondered what the hell she was thinking as they, together, helped the man onto the bed. Neela lifted his bloody hand slightly and pressed gently at the swollen area of his wrist. The man winced in pain and Neela released her grip. Jane pushed through the doors.

"Dr. Barnett, your patient in room 2 is asking for you"

Ray looked at Neela

"It's ok go" Neela insisted "I can examine him"

"But you're not even on your shift" he retaliated

Neela sighed and flipped her brown hair over her shoulder and glared at him.

"Then think of it as im earning more money to pay the rent until you pay me my money back".  
Ray gladly left feeling annoyed that Neela had tried to make him feel guilty again. It had worked.

**Hi, sorry it's a bit short, coursework is driving me nuts, please R+R, and I'll update tomorrow! Thanks! Xx**


	3. Your actually paying me back ?

John Carter was on his break, he sipped his coffee and went to find her. He needed to tell her that he wasn't telling her as a foolish thing, but that he really was still in love with her. When he finally found her, she looked at him.

"John, now isn't the time"

"Well, when isn't the time Abby" he asked following her down the corridor "Abby" he took hold of her wrist gently and turned her around.

"John, what you said was … wonderful, but I don't know what to think about it"  
"I love you Abby"

She sighed as she clutched her chart and headed down to the front desk.

"Mr. Jones if you could…"  
"please…call me … Mark" the man squirmed as Neela treated his hand.  
"Mark, how did you do this? The cuts very deep" She raised it gently to begin the stitching.

"I tripped onto a pile of broken glass outside my house, I've been meaning to clean it up for a while now…ow!"

"Im sorry" She continued to stitch up his hand and caught Ray watching her from the corner of her eye. She hadn't heard him come in.

"Neela, do you need a…" he was about to say "hand" but stopped himself in front of the patience "an assistant?"  
Neela shook her head, still with her back towards him. Ray pushed the double doors apart and went to pick another chart up.

Susan turned around the corner and bumped into Pratt, sighing she smiled.

"I've been looking for you, your cancer patient? Has a history of a mental illness that causes denial, she knows about her cancer, she just won't except it."

Pratt looked at the sheet she was handing him. He laughed gently and walked into see Mrs Delta.

"Mrs Delta, as I was saying the antibiotics should still work even though your cancer is still …"

"I told you I don't have cancer"

Pratt softened his appearance.

"Mrs Delta, im very sorry, I know it must be tough, but your getting treatment and it's under control, your in the best hands, you don't need to be afraid."

She looked at him in his deep eyes, Pratt notices a flash of understanding before the emptiness returned.  
"I don't have cancer".

Neela had completed her stitching and she looked at the pained expression on Mark's face.  
"how does it feel?" She asked standing up and straightening herself out.

"It feels great thanks, do you know when the swelling will go down"

She wrote a note on his chart

"IT could take a couple of hours, it can just be a reaction to the surface injury"

She discharged him and led him to the door.

"Thank you for helping me" he said softly "it was a decent thing to do"

Neela smiled

"That's my job". He walked out of the door. Neela waved and became aware of the throbbing pain her paper cut was causing. She dismissed it and walked towards the front desk.

Abby met Jake at lunch and smiled as he walked towards her.

"That's a nice greeting" he tucked his hand into hers. For the first time Abby noticed how much taller Jake was then her, John had always seemed the perfect height for her.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Jake asked.

Abby shook her head. She still didn't know what to do about the John/Jake situation. She looked at Jake and saw a nice smile, but it wasn't the familiar smile that she was used to. It wasn't the same warm and caring face she had loved.

Morris walked into Susan on the corridor

"Sorry" he shouted walking past her. Susan sighed, maybe she should take Kerry's job, at least then she'd get some respect. No! She told herself, she'd been through this thousands of times, she just didn't have the time to have Kerry's job, she was swamped as she was, she needed to spend time with her family.

Ray watched Neela on her break. She'd done well with the "hand" patient. She'd used her initive and took him off the street. Her whole mannerisms made her … intriguing, you never knew what side of her you were going to get, that could be a bad thing, but in her it was good. He walked over to her.

"Neela?" She looked up to see Ray staring down at her. "You ok?"

"Yeah, im fine, why what do you want?"

Ray smirked

"Do people have to be after something to be nice?"

"People don't, you do" Neela stood up from sitting on the curb. She shoved him gently, (feeling that same spark) and walked inside.

Morris met Ray outside and passed Neela who was coming in.

"What's up man?" Morris asked handing Ray a coffee.

Ray took it and sighed

"Nothing, what are you doing? Haven't you had a break?"

"Yeah this is my second" Morris drank a sip of his coffee. "She's great isn't she?"

Ray looked puzzled  
"who?"

"Neela!" Morris laughed, "I was thinking of asking her out"

"Aren't you going out with …"?

"nah, we broke up a while ago, but do you think I have a chance with Neela?"  
Ray didn't want to insult him, but he'd seen Neela's type, that Gallant guy, she went for intellectual people. But he was right; she was a hell of a girl, a girl who Ray had been noticing lately.

"No, you don't"

He drank the end of his coffee and went back inside.

Carter brushed past Abby and turned when she grabbed his hand. He hoped it wasn't another rejection.

"Can we talk?" She asked

They moved into the locker room. She took a deep breath and the words poured out

"When you said what you did, I didn't know what to do, I was hurt when we broke up and I didn't want to be hurt again. But I've been thinking about it, and Jake doesn't even match up with you. That's why I finished with him."  
Carters shoulders dropped, he was relieved, he walked up to her and tucked away a strand of brown hair that hung on her face. He kissed her gently and she kissed him back.

Dr. Pratt sat next to Mrs. Delta as Wendell talked to her, trying to explain about her cancer, and that it was ok to be scared. Pratt walked out of the room and saw Susan watching him.

"There's nothing more I can do!"

Abby Lockhart walked into work feeling happy, it had been a week since her and Carter had gotten back together. She had felt so terrible about leaving Jake, but she knew where her heart really belonged.

Neela walked into work and grabbed her chart. Ray brushed past her as he left. He was about to leave when he grabbed Neela's hand, and she felt an electric shock. That was it, she decided she was allergic to him (she knew that wasn't' real, but every time he touched her she'd feel … excited) He looked straight into Neela's eyes and a shiver ran down her spine.

"Here" He handed her 80.

Neela couldn't believe him

"Your actually paying me back?"

He wore a cheeky grin

"Better late than never?"

Neela laughed and tucked the money into her pocket. She rubbed her finger, where it had been swelling for a couple of days now, she had had a paper cut a while ago, but this was stupid. She watched him leave and went to see to her patient.

Morris waved to Neela and walked away to see to his patient. Susan almost ran into the ER and hugged Pratt,

"Whoa, why are you so happy?" he asked rubbing his back where she had crashed into him.

"Because the board have agreed that I don't need Kerry's Job, and its such a relief".

Pratt laughed and handed her a chart as he wrote a new patients name on the board.

Neela swayed as a wave of dizziness washed over her. She carried on regardless and continued to write out a prescription for Dennis Jones. She was about to stand up and grab another chart when she felt her eyes close and the next thing she knew was total blackness.

Carter greeted his current girlfriends Abby with a kiss and slid his arm around her waist. He felt comfortable feeling her presence next to him. He smiled as Susan walked past watching the couple together. She had known before anyone how much he was still in love with Abby. Abby said she was going to get a coffee and Carter went to meet Luka.

Abby entered the staff room with a smile; it was great to be back with Carter she was thinking about their date that night when she notices someone was on the floor. It took her a second to recognize the brown hair and petit figure of her ex-roommate, Neela. She bent down and felt her pulse, she'd just fainted.  
"John!" She shouted, hoping he'd hear her. He did and entered with a worried expression on his face. He rushed to help Abby carry Neela into an empty bed on the ward, but not before people rushed over to help.

"Is that Neela?" Morris asked "Is she ok?"

"Clear the room please" Luka ordered Jane to do.

Luka and Abby attended to Neela who had finally come around.

"What ? what am I doing on here?" She tried to sit up but Abby stopped her.

"Neela, you passed out"

"I was tired im fine"  
"Your not though" Luka said. Neela looked from Abby to Luka, trying to read their expressions, her own expression showing confusion and worry.

"Neela, you've been out cold for an hour now, we ran some tests and … " Abby walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. "You've got MRSA"

Neela's heart stopped. Luka looked down and Abby's eyes welled up.

"MRSA? How … I …"

"The patient you helped last week, Mark Jones, had MRSA, you treated him forgetting you had this …" he pointed to her paper cut. She shook her head, unwilling to believe she'd made such a stupid mistake.

Ray rushed into the ER, carrying a carrier bag full of Neela's things. Morris had rung and said Neela had passed out and needed her things from home. He had panicked all the way here. Was she ok? Was she ill?. He didn't know why it had scared him so much, but when he arrived to the hospital, he was totally shaken up. He found Neela's room.

"Hey"

Neela looked up, her eyes were bloodshot and he knew she had been crying.

"Ray, what are you …"  
"Morris, said you'd need some things, what happened ?"

Neela looked at his concerned expression and a tear rolled down her cheek. Ray saw it and immediately sat next to her, handing her a tissue.

"Hey, you can tell me"

"I've got MRSA, I caught it off a patient" Another tears strolled down her face, and another.

Ray wrapped her in a hug, she felt the warmness of him and she felt safe. She cried silently whilst Ray soothed her.

"Shh, it's ok, you're going to be fine, and you'll only have a mild case".

Ray prayed this was right, his heart reached out to her, and he was scared. He was scared for her. He was a Doctor, he was supposed to understand everything and not feel worried, but he cared about her.

Neela pulled back and looked at Ray, she couldn't believe how nice he was being.

"Thank you" She tried to smile at him, but a tear was still rolling down her cheek. Ray smiled gently and picked up the tissue. He leaned close and wiped away the tear, he looked into Neela's eyes, He liked her, He really liked her, and the expression shining back from them, made him think that maybe she liked him. He didn't have time to answer himself when Sam walked in.  
"Neela…Oh im sorry, am I interrupting?"

Ray stood up

"no it's ok, I'll go get you a drink ok?"

Neela nodded and watched him leave. Sam walked closer and started to explain to Neela that she only had a mild case. Neela nodded understanding, still looking at the door where Ray had left.

Sam looked behind her.

"Do you like Ray?"

Neela turned to Sam  
"I… I think I do"

**Hiya ! I am so sorry it took so long to update, coursework is a pain, but it's all done now so I have plenty of time for updating! So please R+R ! Thanks xx**


	4. MRSA INFO author notes

Disclaimer – I didn't make up this information of write it I got it off a health care fact sheet. Some people on my reviews weren't clear on what MRSA is so here you go ….

MRSA is more commonly known as "THE SUPER BUG" it stands for "Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus"

It is a common cause of hospital-acquired infections. Anyone can get MRSA, but it is found most often in hospitalized patients. The staph bacteria is generally spread through direct contact with the hands of a health care worker or patient who is infected or carrying the organism.


	5. Neela's Results

Neela rolled over onto her side and gazed around the hospital room. She worked here. She never thought she'd have to be a patient here. She rolled back onto her back and stirred up at the ceiling. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Sam enter the room. She smiled.

"Hey Neela, how are you feeling?"

Neela sighed. She didn't know. She really didn't know.

Ray paced up and down his apartment he had to sleep, he was due in work in 2 hours. How could he sleep? The woman that he cared most for was in hospital with a case of the super-bug. Whoa … he stopped himself. "The woman he cared most for?" where did THAT come from? Did he LIKE like Neela? He stood up and, frustrated, grabbed his coat and headed to work early, without his sleep.

Sam poured the cool liquid into a cup and handed it to Neela, who had sat up in bed.

"So, Carter said your results have got about an hour to come, then he'll bring them up for you"

Neela nodded and sipped her drink

"So" Sam asked, sitting on the edge of Neela's bed "you like Ray"

Neela laughed

"Maybe, he's just … he accepts me, and I accept hi, I've grown to like him … I just…" Neela struggled to find the words so Sam took the hint.

"Hey that's ok, I get you, speaking of boys, I best get back to mine, he's covering for me, everyone's looking out for you down there"

Neela smiled and said goodbye to Sam.

Abby met Carter for lunch and he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Abby felt so safe with him. She kissed him gently and carried on walking.

"How was your morning?" She asked him

"ok, the odd annoying patient, as usual, you?"

"Ok" she sighed "im sorry im just so worried about Neela, did you pick up her results?"

"Three due after my lunch break, I'll take them straight to her"

"ok" she kissed him again "what would I do without you"

"oh, I dunno …." He laughed and they walked into the nearest café.

Ray charged into the ER and asked Frank if he knew what room Neela was in.

"No, but I can find out for you" Frank said as he begun to type into the computer.

"Yeah, if you would"

Ray leaned against the desk and saw Abby and Carter walk into the reception holding hands. He walked over to them, his breathing heavy.

"Hey, how is she?" he asked them

Abby smiled

"She's doing ok, were just about to take her results to her, you wanna come?"

Ray nodded and told Frank that it didn't matter.

Neela was taken back when Abby, Carter and Ray came into her room. She ran her hand through her hair and sighed.

"Result time?" she asked trying to make light of the situation.

Abby nodded and held her hand. Carter looked down at the sheet and read the first paragraph. He looked up and smiled.

"You have a very VERY acute case, that we can cure with medicine, you'll be ok in about a week or 2. "

Neela felt as if the world had been lifted off her shoulders. Abby squeezed her hand as tears ran down both their cheeks. She hugged her best friend and sniffed. Abby stood up and linked with Carter.

"Well, we best get back, we've got patients, I'll come up and see you later ok?"

Neela nodded, happier than she had ever felt. She noticed Ray was standing there with a huge grin on his face and her heart skipped a beat. Carter and Abby left and Ray sat down on the edge of her bed.

"That is great Neela, I've … I've been so worried…"

Before he could go any further Sam walked into the door, a smile shining from ear to ear.

"Abby just told me! Neela that's great…" she stopped when she saw Ray "oh, I'll leave you two alone". She winked at Ray who looked utterly confused, until he saw Neela blush and his heart jumped into his mouth.


End file.
